Polishing apparatus, polishing pad, and polishing information management system

Abstract

A polishing pad has structural parts embedded therein; sensors, a memory for storing detected information obtained by the sensors, and a communication unit driven by a power supply unit to communicate with outside in a non-contact manner. The polishing pad and a communication unit configured to communicate with the communication unit of the polishing pad in a non-contact manner constitute a polishing information management system. The polishing pad and a communication unit configured to transmit and receive the information to and from the communication unit of the polishing pad in a non-contact manner constitute a polishing apparatus.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A polishing pad, including:
 sensors; 
 a memory for storing detected information obtained by the sensors; 
 a power supply; 
 a communication circuit configured to communicate with outside in a non-contact manner; 
 a lifetime display; and 
 an information storage module embedded in the polishing pad, wherein: 
 the memory, the power supply, and the communication circuit are provided in the information storage module, 
 the sensors include at least one sensor embedded in the polishing pad and outside the information storage module, 
 the information storage module assesses a lifetime of the polishing pad based on the detected information stored in the memory and displays a result of the lifetime assessment on the lifetime display, 
 the sensors include at least one type to detect of a temperature, a pressure, and an acceleration, 
 the information storage module counts up a total length of time when at least one of the temperature detected by the sensor, the pressure detected by the sensor and the acceleration detected by the sensor is equal to or larger than a given value to thereby measure hours of use in total of the polishing pad, and 
 the information storage module assesses the lifetime based on whether the hours of use in total of the polishing pad are equal to or smaller than a predefined length of time. 
 
     
     
       2. The polishing pad as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the memory stores therein a manufacturing history of the polishing pad and operational requirements of a polishing apparatus in addition to the detected information obtained by the sensors during a polishing process after the polishing pad is set in the polishing apparatus. 
 
     
     
       3. A polishing information management system, including:
 the polishing pad as claimed in  claim 1 ; and 
 an outside wireless communication unit configured to communicate with the communication circuit of the polishing pad in a non-contact manner. 
 
     
     
       4. A polishing apparatus, comprising:
 the polishing pad is the polishing pad as claimed in  claim 1 ; and 
 an outside wireless communication unit configured to communicate with the communication circuit of the polishing pad in a non-contact manner, 
 wherein an object to be polished retained on a lower surface of an upper press platen and a polishing pad set on a lower press platen are pushed against each other under an applied pressure and slidably moved relative to each other to polish the object.